Is Tony Abbott Australia’s Prime Misogynist?

Posted on October 29, 2012 by patriciawa

Misogyny Downunder

Who is this fool Tony Abbott,
The arch chauvinist downunder,
Who’s been made toast of, ‘Welsh rabbit,’
Trying to steal la Gillard’s thunder?

Thought he’d shame her but roused her anger.
Which brought her fame instead, world over,
Like another Aussie ranga,
Songwriter, feminist moreover.

Has the man no brain? Does he think
Disproving claims of his misogyny
Is easy, like changing ties from blue to pink,
Or parading his wife and female progeny?

It’s a fortnight since that Question Time on October 10th when Tony Abbott’s tasteless taunts about ‘shame’ over ‘sexism and misogyny’ in supporting Peter Slipper, drove the PM just too far. “The Speech” she made then has been tweeted, emailed and linked throughout the world wide web to millions of women, and to men too, of course. I have written about that and every time I read of the overwhelming approval of people responding to her I am reminded of another Aussie red head who did so much to change the world for women, Helen Reddy. In fact the I Am Woman song has been reverberating through my head for days now. It wasn’t just the lyrics and the music, but pictures of her, even the nose, remind me very much of the young Julia Gillard who would have been much inspired by the I Am Woman message of female liberation.

In the fortnight since the speech went viral on the internet and twitter there has been much written about the PM’s supposed misuse of the word ‘misogyny’ and Macquarie Dictionary’s updating of the definition to its more complex meaning about general prejudice against women, rather than simple hatred. Most of that argument has come from the Opposition and its media supporters who have conveniently forgotten that it was the LOTO himself who raised the term and kicked an own goal.

The government itself has largely moved on from the topic but I see that Menzies House have mentioned it again today with their article titled Tony Abbott You’re a Goose After all this talk about sexism and gender wars they could have found a better title, after all he should be a gander. Well a gentleman at least, which is what the writer thinks that Abbott should be. David Russell thinks that Abbott’s attitude to and ruthless treatment of Julia Gillard, though not technically misogynist, is seen as beyond the pale, and is losing him electoral support. I guess today’s 50-50 Newspoll explains his warning to Tony that he’d better change his ways. Otherwise he is in danger of going down in history as infamous as Sir John Kerr, the arch Labor traitor of 1975, rather than the Liberal Party hero who is supposed to win government for the Coalition in 2013. So, if Menzies House is rattled and questioning Abbott’s leadership, it looks like that speech has helped Julia Gillard in promoting her as a feminist hero and not hindered as many predicted. And even if they don’t call Tony Abbott Australia’s Prime Misogynist, they certainly want him to change his ways, and soon!

If Labor gets back because of you and your blind spot for Julia Gillard, Kerr may appear as a saint by comparison. You are so close to being out of time, Tony.

PS My suggestion that our Tony would find it easy to change the color of his tie was quite wrong, it seems. Joe Hockey, yes, does wear pink ties, but Tony only ever blue!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Women near and far are calling Julia!

Posted on October 21, 2012 by patriciawa


Julia Gillard’s speech is first example of the digital age where an expression of passion from a politician was rewarded with numbers that a free press can’t compete with. Picture: Kym Smith Source: The Australian

We are women! From near and far
We are calling Julia,
To let you know we’re with you to the end!
We raise you a loud hurrah,
Cos though PM and super-star
You’ve been insulted once too often to pretend.

Who’s this Abbott, the boy wonder,
The misogynist Downunder?
Making light of feminism
Could prove his biggest blunder.
Trying to steal your thunder
Underlined his chauvinism.

He called you liar, tried to frame you,
Tried in many ways to shame you,
But instead roused so much anger
That once he had inflamed you
Women everywhere acclaimed you!
Another mighty Aussie ranga!

We are women, how we’ve grown,
Not always going it alone.
There are men who know what’s fair and right.
But for some it’s still a battle zone
To keep the world their own.
For that they’re ready any time to fight.

In spite of them you have come far,
You’re number one now, Julia!
Thanks to Abbott and Alan Jones,
The whole world knows who you are!
Women and men have hit the phones
Saying,, “Misogynists Downunder, Au revoir!”

NOTES:

I can’t improve on the assessment of George Megalogenis, writing in this Weekend Australian If you haven’t already, read his article for yourself which begins….

THE power of that speech, a week and half after its delivery, is in its repetition.
Julia Gillard’s dressing-down of Tony Abbott has already been watched more than two million times on YouTube. On present trends, the figure will cross three million before the parliament rises for the summer break.

All I can do is talk a bit about my own response to Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s powerful extempore speech in Question Time almost a fortnight ago, October 10th, 2012, when Tony Abbott’s taunts drove her just too far. “The Speech” has been tweeted, emailed and linked throughout the world wide web to millions of women, and to men too, of course. Every time I read of the overwhelming approval of people responding to her I am reminded of another Aussie red head who did so much to change the world for women, Helen Reddy. In fact the “I Am Woman!” song has been reverberating through my head for days now, so that when I came to write about “Misogyny Downunder” the rhythm of Reddy’s lyrics were inevitably beating through my brain!

There has been a lot of nonsense talked about the Prime Minister’s alleged mis-use of that word ‘misogyny’ with Senator Fiona Nash of the LNP suggesting a conspiracy or worse when Sue Butler of Macquarie Dictionary conceded it was their oversight not to have earlier acknowledged the much broader meaning of the word beyond “hatred of women” to include the universally accepted meaning of “entrenched prejudice against women” and that Julia Gillard’s speech had no validity at all since she had misused that word. It could not possibly apply to Tony Abbott, a happily married man with three beloved daughters! Other leading Coalition figures like Barnaby Joyce rushed to display their erudition about dictionary definitions which it seems were certainly not Greek to him!

The Coalition’s rush to sneer and jeer about the PM’s misuse of that word in attacking their beloved leader was all rather irrational, I thought, since it was Abbott himself who first used the term ‘misogynist’ to describe Peter Slipper and so gave the PM the opportunity to turn it back on himself. To say nothing of his use of the “dying of shame” phrase with which he had clearly hoped to taunt her into some sort of verbal explosion or emotional crack-up. He should surely know her well enough by now to have avoided the verbal explosion which has reverberated around the world to his discredit and to her massive advancement? He deserved every word of it, not just because of the undeniable facts of his behaviour and character which she had at her fingertips, but because of his lack of political know-how, finesse and simple human decency.

Yes, Tony Abbott was using the word ‘misogyny’ correctly, meaning sexism, if not accurately, about Peter Slipper’s lewd text messaging. The Oxford English Dictionary has long been defining it as “hatred or dislike or prejudice against women” and gives examples dating back to the 19th century. It has certainly been in common currency since another famously strong Aussie became known as a champion of women in the seventes and wrote in her landmark book The Female Eunuch that “women have very little idea of how much men hate them”. Has anyone heard a peep from Germaine about “The Speech’, by the way?

Judging by the latest Nielsen poll and media commentary in The Age Julia Gillard’s speaking out has only done her good. I hope that Tony Abbott is still feeling the sharp edge of her tongue!

POST SCRIPT 21/11/12, I came across this comment by Katie on Wendy Harmer’s Hoopla blogsite which says it all for me about the reluctance of men in both political parties and the Canberra Press Gallery still to acknowledge the issue of misogyny in Australia.

I find it interesting that this general call for a moratorium on something or other – personal nastiness? – has occurred following PM Gillard’s world-class anti-misogyny speech that demolished serial offenders Abbott. and his Co and lifted Gillard’s ratings and those of the Govt to record levels.

The press gallery and most men could not cope with this speech. Now they all seem to be trying to gloss over it by calling time on “personal attacks” without referring to the main issue – dreadful misogyny by and on behalf of the Opposition that the PM dealt with brilliantly. However, nobody – Govt or Opposition – really wants to fully acknowledge that she did this, or why it was necessary.

Wendy was impressed by that comment too and has today written about how Julia Gillard’s misogyny speech still has not received the recognition here it has internationally but has simply been included in broad generalisations about the unpleasant nature of our political dialogue. Abbott began it but pollies of both parties have called for an end to the current general nastiness of exchanges in Parliament. As if Julia Gillard’s powerful oratory was of the same order as his own daily slurs and sexist innuendos! Today’s article in THE HOOPLA shows how Julia Gillard’s justifiable reaction against years of sexist abuse has been lumped in with a general call for “an end to smear and innuendo…” and diminished by some males to the level of nagging by women about their ‘imagined’ mistreatment.

I posted this pome there along with lots of other lively comments, and had two nice responses which I’ve saved below. I can see I have a lot to learn about spreading my point of view once it’s been expressed in verse!

COMMENTS

Truth Seeker, 19/10/12 Patricia, another fine poem. cheers.

Nasking, 19/10/12, Top poem.

Ad Astra, 19/10/12, Patriciawa, Thank you for yet another great pome, so poignant, particularly the sad end of this verse:
We are women, how we’ve grown,
Not always going it alone.
There are men who know what’s fair and right.
But for some it’s still a battle zone
To keep the world their own.
For that they’re ready any time to fight.

The last three lines give the reason we have the curse of the Abbott man still upon us.

Nasking, 19/10/12, Spot on Ad…I find inspiration in this stanza from Patricia’s emotive poem.

Gravel, 19/10/12, Patriciawa, Truth Seeker and others, thanks for your pome’s they were great.

Talk Turkey, 20/10/12, But Patricia I especially love the title of your song Women near and far are calling Julia! which of course is pronounced Joo-Lee-ARRRRR even like a pirate if you like!

And Ad I don’t see too much sadness in those Patrician lines you quote, more determination and optimism. Well yeah it’s sad that there are Abbortts but aren’t we glad we got the remedy, and the biggest part of the remedy for misogynism is the Women themselves.

2gravel, 23/10/13, Patricia, sorry spelt it wrong first time, oh and the last I heard, the ABC video of Julia doing her thing had over 2million hits, that is not including other youtube things of it.

Patriciawa, 23/10//12, Gravel, don’t worry about the odd spelling mistake or typo. It’s great to hear from you! As you can see I value your comments whether here or at TPS. I save them all! One day in my dotage I will be reading over them and perhaps remembering these unexpected glory days of my new career in retirement at https://polliepomes.wordpress.com

2gravel 23//10/12, Patrica, as I said on TPS, great pome, and I’m still green with envy that you got to hug that wonderful woman.

JoanneH, 21/11/12, Patriciawa, you have excelled yourself. I would love to see that being used in next years election campaign.

Lindy, 21/11/12, I love your poem Patriciawa it has inspired me all over again. I and many “oldies” who watch question time saw the behaviour of Mr.Abbott, Mr. Pyne and Ms Bishop as they hurled abuse and bullied the Prime Minister during their incessant suspension motions, these were an excuse to bully and try to intimaidate and when the Prime Minister made her speech I like many cheered and cheered. suck it up men because we won’t be any more.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Alan Jones Really Is Sorry!

Posted on October 5, 2012 by patriciawa

Alan Jones is indeed ashamed,
Not unrepentant as some have claimed.
Is he guilty of sedition
As thousands say in that petition?

There are some things which are not clear.
Was it his or Tony Abbott’s idea
To cut that film so it implied
Here was footage which showed she lied?

Traduce a Prime Minister?
That is a crime, very sinister!
Yet he broadcast that lie on air
And Abbott told it everywhere.

Jones ignored all the Lefties’ ire
When he called their leader, “Ju-liar!”
Or more cruel still, “Bob Brown’s Bitch,”
Urging crowds to, “Burn the witch!”

Better still, “Put her in a bag,
Drop her in the sea! Drown the hag!
As his old Dad would say, “Like chaff!”
Anyway it had raised a laugh.

But, looking back, he’d much rather
Not have joked about her father.
For that he’s happy to be blamed.
It was thoughtless and he’s ashamed.

And so he will apologise.
You know him. He won’t be telling lies
When he says he is truly sorry
To fellow shareholders at Macquarie.

Acknowledgement to Lindsay Foyle of New Matilda for inspiration!

NOTES:

After all that’s been written this week about Alan Jones’s faux pas at Sydney University Young Liberals Club notes from me backgrounding this pome are probably superfluous. So this is more for myself to remind me of how I felt about this almost seismic shift in public opinion. Of course it was no minor error but a grievous insult not only to our Prime Minister but against all decent standards of behaviour which should have crossed any political divide. This was immediately acknowledged by Malcolm Turnbull when the story broke, but sadly not by his Party leader, Tony Abbott.

So there has been considerable political fall-out from Abbott’s failure to respond with any real sensitivity not only to the personal distress caused the Prime Minister and her family, but also to the broader issue of misogyny and the attitude towards women whether in positions of authority or in Australian society generally. The latter seemed to be underlined by the huge outpouring of grief in Melbourne this weekend caused by the brutal rape and murder of a popular young woman, Jill Meagher, snatched from a main thoroughfare not far from her home.

The failure of our media to protect the holder of the highest office in the land from the sort of verbal and physical abuse countless women suffer in their homes, their workplaces and on the streets of our cities is in itself a scandal. That many in the Murdoch dominated media were themselves active participants in that abuse had begun to be acknowledged recently, even before the death of John Gillard and the disrespect towards him displayed by Alan Jones. In early August Denis Atkins had acknowledged that Tony Abbott

will not shy away from any untruth in his campaign to brand Gillard an untrustworthy liar. It is the most reckless and audacious politicking most observers including this one can remember.

This is in 2012 after two years of this “audacious politicking” and the distortion of this statement

“There will be no carbon tax under a government I lead……but lets be absolutely clear. I am determined to price carbon.”

What she actually said is shown below in my Post Script of 10/11/2012, but it was initially presented as above and thereafter further distorted.  This distortion has been used by Alan Jones broadcasting daily on Radio Macquarie and by Tony Abbott in press conferences nationwide and in Parliament, echoed by most of our main stream media.  For over two years now it has been used to berate our Prime Minister daily and attempt to destroy her reputation.   Somehow she has survived  all that and disproved what is their great big lie, and given the right moment people have objected strongly as they have done via channels like Vox Populi.     L0ok how quickly that was heard and responded to by Radio Macquarie’s sponsors and advertisers through on-line petitions and emails and Twitter.

POSTSCRIPT November 10, 2012

For sure Alan Jones is feeling very sorry about the part he played in that. But what about our main stream media? Surely they could have challenged the Coalition lie about the so called Carbon Tax lie on the basis of the Australian story on August 20th, 2010, when Julia Gillard was reported very clearly not ruling out a carbon price.

 

In an election-eve interview with The Australian, the Prime Minister revealed she would view victory tomorrow as a mandate for a carbon price, provided the community was ready for this step.

“I don’t rule out the possibility of legislating a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, a market-based mechanism,” she said of the next parliament. “I rule out a carbon tax.”

 

COMMENTS

Nasking, 05/10/12, Patricia, luv the poem/pome. Good stuff.

Victoria, 07/10/12, Another entertaining contribution.

KINKAJOU, 07/10/12, Patricia …not sorry ENOUGH….yet a few weeks of no
income…may have more of an idea about sorry.

NormanK, 05/10/12, Thank-you for a very clever pome. You’re right, the only
sincere apology that Jones might make is to the station’s shareholders.

nef, 15//11/12, patricia, where did you get that quote from “There will be no carbon tax under a government I lead……but lets be absolutely clear. I am determined to price carbon.” I’ve seen this floating around a lot recently. The full interview – and it was actually on Ten News in – is on YouTube. She doesn’t say what you quote.

Patriciawa, 15/11/12, My bad, nef, I should have named my source there, but I too was quoting from one of several written accounts. I tried very hard to find the original video which I recall seeing, though did not note at the time, it having no great significance for me. Having no joy in my search I began to wonder if perhaps my memory failed me (it’s a very old one!) or to wonder if it was possible for items to be removed from the net. I’d be glad of the link to the recording you mention, though I think it’s one I saw and dismissed as not what I recalled. Mind you, you’d think the ALP would have done a better job of insisting on what she actually said, wouldn’t you? Whatever her actual words it’s astonishing that Abbott has been allowed to even get away with the logic about her so-called “lie” unless they wanted him to do what he has done and drown himself in over-kill.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Running For Office

Posted on September 20, 2012 by patriciawa

abbott-running-ray-strange

Tony Abbott is running for office
The highest in all the South Land
As the favorite of the bosses
He’s got his victory speech all planned.

But his rival is proving a tough nut,
Unexpectedly for a female,
Metaphorically kicking his butt,
And his strength is beginning to fail.

“It’s a marathon race, not a sprint,”
She whispers, all womanly and small.
He shivers and shakes as he gets the hint.
She will tail him till he hits the wall.

NOTES:

Tony Abbott is steadily losing ground to Julia Gillard in the latest Newspoll which reveals a trend also confirmed by Nielson. Her remarkable personal resilience, her government’s legislative achievements and the soundness of the national economy must have been getting him down privately for some time, no matter how loudly he proclaimed her ineptitude and her government’s failings to the public.

This week he foolishly and flatly denied an anecdote recounted by David Marr from his student days which depicted him as a misogynistic bully. The idea that he could have menacingly punched the wall behind the head of a woman who had defeated him in a student election seemed very credible in light of what is generally perceived to be his character by his political critics, at least.

Ad Astra succinctly covers the pros and cons of the media coverage of The Punch so I won’t go further into it except to say how delicious I found the idea of Tony Abbott hitting that wall. He is a distance runner, often running marathons, so would be very familiar with the term ‘hitting the wall’ or sudden extreme fatigue. It’s a loss of strength experienced in endurance sports such as cycling and running, caused by the depletion of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles, and is particularly feared by marathon runners. It may be fanciful, but I like to think that Julia Gillard knew about this and had already made a shrewd assessment of Tony Abbott when she observed that poor polling didn’t worry her because she viewed the struggle with him and the Coalition as more of a marathon race than a sprint.

This littlie pome plays with the idea of Tony Abbott suddenly realizing that Julia Gillard has his measure and will out- run him. She will wear him down. He will hit the wall. He will not win office.

A comment by georgeousdunny1 a blogger at THE PUB on April 15th, 2013,  and the dreadful Boston marathon shootings brought me back to this post suggesting an update.

Thanks for the reminder, georgeousdunny1.

Tony Abbott, running for office,
The highest in all the South Land,
Was the favorite of the bosses
And had his victory speech all planned.

His rival has proved a tough nut,
Surprisingly for a female,
Metaphorically kicked his butt.
Could his strength be starting to fail?

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,”
She whispers, womanly and small.
He privately shakes, gets the hint.
She will tail him till he hits the wall.

COMMENTS

2gravel,    21/09/12,      What a great pome, Patricia. I read with lots of hope that you are right. Well done. Have you recovered from your wonderful hug from Julia? And I really hope your leg is healing well.

Patriciawa,     21/09/12,      I’m glad you liked it, gravel! You seem to be the only one who’s noticed it! I rather liked imagining that Julia Gillard had Tones all sussed out and that she knew it was only a matter of time before he dropped in his tracks or blew a fuse.

Thanks for the enquiry too, gravel. I am almost back to normal now that I can drive and go to the gym. Ten minutes or so on the exercise bike works has worked wonders in the last few days. I am truly amazed at what can be achieved by modern surgery. It’s hard to imagine that less than three months ago I had a pin inserted at my broken knee joint and also a graft from my hip bone to re-construct my knee cap.

Gillian,     22/09/12,     Wonderful Mum! xx

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Women In Labor

Posted on September 8, 2012 by patriciawa

Photo of Kate EllisPhoto of Jenny MacklinPhoto of Nicola RoxonPhoto of Tanya Plibersek

These women in Labor are feeling no pain,
Find running the country’s no stress and no strain,
All were up-beat and their spirits were high
When at a Party event they explained to me why.

Working conditions have improved much of late
With their new boss who is efficient and straight.
Labor’s productive.   It’s not at all hard
Conceiving new laws with PM Gillard.

Not just these women, but ALP men
Work well with her and if ever again
Rudd were to challenge and push came to shove
They’d vote for Julia.     Working with her is a Labor of love!

NOTES

The death of Julia Gillard’s father this weekend had me thinking how proud he would have been of all that she has achieved.  I had the privelege just a few days ago of meeting the Prime Minister personally at a community cabinet here in W.A. in nearby Kwinana.  I just wish I could have let him know of the conversations I had with some of her colleagues at the less crowded social event which followed the public forum.  All of them, both men and women, expressed admiration for her as a leader of Labor Caucus and as Prime Minister.   The women expressed much more – affection, love and appreciation for her strength and her support  for themselves and other women struggling to achieve more both here in Australia and in other less developed parts of the world.   Thinking about the PM’s tribute to her father as the inspiration  for what she strives to achieve in her work as I modified this post for Cafe Whispers I began to see that John Gillard had left us all a legacy, his daughter’s Labor of Love.

Readers of this blog will know that I’ve long been an admirer of Julia Gillard but particularly because of what I’ve read and seen of her response to our mainstream media which has aided and abetted in her demonisation by Tony Abbott and the Coalition since she became PM .    I jumped at the opportunity to observe her up close and personal,  as it were,  at the Community Cabinet last Wednesday 05/09/12.  Here are the notes I made and posted at The Political Sword about that evening and how my experience then confirmed that admiration.  I had such an overwhelming response to them that I decided to write a pome and incorporate them here.

……..Just spent a happy half hour writing about the  ‘real’ Julia whom I met last night in Kwinana at the Community Cabinet. Astonishingly fresh after a solid day’s Prime Ministerial work with Barnett on Gonski she stood up for well over the allotted hour, managed the audience of hundreds in the hall and fielded questions from the floor to herself and her Ministers, all seated alongside her by the way.  Suffering the odd fool gladly with great patience she answered everything that was thrown at her or referred some to her ministers where appropriate. There were some answers that were not popular e.g. re asylum seekers, or FIFO work permits for mining companies but there was no doublespeak or efforts to placate.   Amongst the fifteen members of cabinet seated on stage alongside the PM were five of Labor’s wonderful women ministers pictured above with my local Member, Melissa Parke.   

Still unable to drive myself I had been given a lift from Freo by an ALP insider on condition I stayed on afterwards for the special invite for drinks with the PM. First time I’ve blessed that woman who knocked me down and broke my leg!   WOW!  .   I talked at length about the great things they’ve achieved to Nicola Roxon, Tanya Plibersek and Kate Ellis.  All were really happy to hear how popular the PM is out here in the big wide world and promised to pass on those sentiments to her from me, with all of them having something to say themselves about how sensational she is to work with!  Someone suggested I should tell the PM myself how I felt!  I had been reluctant to approach her since she was being extraordinarily generous with the scores of people lining up to get autographs or photos with her. But I couldn’t l knock back the offer of a personal introduction, from Special Minister of State, Gary Gray, could I?   Busy signing autographs with one hand,  she hugged me around the shoulders for a photo with her free arm.  Imagine being hugged by the PM herself!  I found myself willingly hugging her back!   What’s all this nonsense about her being cold and wooden?

me with PM 1
By the way, she doesn’t hog the limelight and went to extraordinary lengths to draw in her team, give them credit and encourage general mingling with her ministers  before she exited at a very late EST hour. Which is how I came to spend quite a while talking to Chris Bowen who was interesting to listen to as he responded to more than one person joining us and commiserating with him about the lousy job he’d landed.  Someone has to do it, he said. “We are all volunteers, after all.”   And there are rewards with many of his clients.  And yes, there are some who bring out the cynic in one.  Nauru is almost ready to go by the way, but PNG is a bit slower and neither of them are just refurbishments of the old detention centres. The plan is for them to be quite different. All of SHY’s worst expectations won’t be realized.

Altogether a very cheering and uplifting experience. Hardly a mention of the Opposition, even when the LOTO came up by name – the almost uniform response was a raised eyebrow, wrinkling of the nose or just a grimace and then the subject was changed. As if they just don’t want their personal space polluted with all of TA’s toxic negativity.

COMMENTS:

Catching up,      08/09/12,   A gallant woman who has been able to withstand all that the men have shot at her. One that will not laid down and die.     A doer, builder, not a talker, demolisher.

2 Gravel,     o9/09/12,    Patricia, I knew you would come up with the goods, thank you. Julia’s father, and also her mother, can be very proud of their daughter.    She may not be leaving human progeny to remember her when her time comes, but she has certainly already, and will in the near future, leave a great legacy for Australia.   I hope that she can take some decent time off to mourn properly without the media harassing her and being negative.

Ad Astra,    09/09/12,     That is a delightful pome. We all feel that way.

Lyn,     09/09/12,     Patricia thankyou for your brilliant work, I think you must be feeling a whole lot better.

 Nasking,      09/09/12,    Top poem, Patricia.

Truth Seeker,    09/09/12,     Patricia, nice one, many impressive women in the ALP.

NormanK,     09/09/12,    Lovely pome! Smile   Now if only the WHOLE team could row in the same direction.

Dafid1,     09/09/12,   Lovely article Patricia. I have extended my condolences to the PM by letter, however is nice to see the comments here and the countless number on Twitter.

Kevin Rennie,    09/09/12,    Thanks, Patricia.

Sue,     09/09/12,     Patricia,   Another great poem,and what an inspiring night for you.

Mangrove Jack,    10/09/12,   “Fathers and their Daughters.” http://www.dailylife.com.au/life-and-love/parenting-and-families/fathers-and-their-daughters-20120910-25mwm.html.    An insightful and sensitive essay by one Sarah Macdonald, with some kind words for Julia.

   

Patriciawa,    10/09/12,    What a beautiful article! Thank you, Mangrove Jack. The opening sentences expressed exactly how I reacted on hearing the PM’s sad news. The rest of the article rings equally true…….well worth setting aside for a second reading.

Sue,    12/09/12,    Patricia,     Just thought you would like to know this little gem. There is an election due in the ACT and the Liberals are running an attack ad which features the Labor Chief Minister Katy Gallagher with PM Julia Gillard. Katy Gallagher is tickled pink as she says it is great to be portrayed with the PM who cares about education and health and that she hopes the PM can come to an event during the election. Katy Gallagher also laughed and said the ALP had tried to find a photo of the Liberal leader Zed Seselja with Tony Abbott but there weren’t any. She wondered why this was so, was Zed worried about Abbott’s image in canberra? Zed has not asked Tony to do any press stunts with him.

Patriciawa,    12/09/12,     Love it!    Thanks, Sue.   I’d seen something about Katie Gallagher and her admiration for the PM.   But even some Labor men are like Zen Seselja.   I’ve had words with State Labor people about their attitude to the Feds, particularly the PM.  If they don’t come to their senses they’ll miss out on what looks like a groundswell of support for the PM from fair minded people, women and men, to whom it is obvious now that a woman in a close-knit family such as hers has been revealed to be  cannot possibly be the monster whom Tony Abbott has painted.

Jenny Macklin MP, 13/09/12, Hi Patricia, Thank you for sharing your blog. Kind regards, Jenny

LeeAnne Willows, 13/09/12, Hi again Patricia, Melissa asked me to pass on her thanks for forwarding your poem and impressions to her. She is busy reading at her computer now!

spiral, 24/02/13, Even if julia does not lift another finger for this country,she has earned the respect of most Australians by being an excellent P.M. let alone the first woman to do so..Her hallowed place in history is secure…Well done Prime minister Julia Gillard.

June Cummings, 03/03/13, “Mockery is the new misogyny”. Anne Summers wrote a great column in The Age this week (March 2nd) – re the media’s treatment of Julia Gillard and cited many incidents of mockery on all sorts of issues. She asks is “mockery the new misogyny?” I would like to see a female television journalist (or print) interview the former NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark, who was the second female PM of NZ, on the differences between her treatment by the media as PM in her country and the relentless persecution currently being dished out to Julia Gillard. It would also be enlightening if a journalist interviewed Nicola Roxon on why one of Australia’s most talented cabinet ministers was forced to resign her post citing family reason. Is this an indictment on the political process, that in 2013, despite the rhetoric, we are still being denied the talents in the highest office in the land of highly qualified female politicians, because the job cannot accommodate motherhood.

Patriciawa, 03/03/13, Hi June! I read the Anne Summers article too. I suspect it’s particularly virulent here, not so much because of misogyny per se, though Aussie men may be worse than Kiwis, but simply because Murdoch is so determined to get Gillard out and Abbott in so that the NBN doesn’t get away from him and ruin his business. With 70% print media ownership and other media influences he’s really gone at her good and proper. I think he’s overdone it and also left Abbott quite complacent and lazy.

PS I thought Nicola Roxon did a pretty good job of explaining her motives for resigning at https://www.themonthly.com.au/why-i-resigned-goodbye-all-nicola-roxon-7640

gorgeousdunny1, 23/05/13, Dear Patricia, Thank you for your timely reminder to visit your site. I did, of course, at the time you’d posted at The Pub about meeting the PM at the Community forum, because I was especially interested in the local reaction . I should have left a comment then.

I greatly admire your Pomes, even though I usually pick them up at other sites in my travels (and travails) around the blogs. You might have picked up that little bit with Bushfire Bill about your use of “Pomes”. I had no idea it started at LP (which is when I started reading you) over a mistype. I’d been more inclined to link it with Pam Ayres, who used to publish under a heading of “Me Poems”.

Like them, they are mighty and marvellous reflections on the oddities of life. Some pedants would shudder to regard them as poetry, but I don’t think the difference is worth dwelling on. Verse if you must, but I think that what Edmond Lear, Lewis Carroll and others write is much more than that, and that’s before we get to Pope and Byron.

Keep up the good work. I fear a lot of the fight to salvage this government against the massive propaganda is being left to us oldies. I’m 71, you’re in your seventies, and Nancy Cato is 73. It’s strange at our age, but worthy that we do. We have the experience of life to offer a greater perspective than the Orwellian impressions of the MSM. Warm regards Don

vehicle repair shops, 27/09/14, Excellent blog you have here.. It’s hard to find high-quality writing like yours these days. I truly appreciate people like you! Take care!!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Denying The Master!

Posted on August 30, 2012 by patriciawa

Thursday, August 30, 2012.

Acknowledgements to Alan Moir  for permission to use his brilliant work.

Though almost half a dozen years away,
For Tony Abbott it’s just yesterday,
When all was right in the world because
John Howard was in charge of Oz.

Through the years since then it’s been his mission
To restore the mighty Coalition
To government. He the natural heir,
Has his ministry waiting there.

No learners these,  nor needing policies.
Howard’s men,  with all the qualities
Required to rule,  ready to replace
Gillard’s gang,  a basket case.

Honest John and friends all raise their voices,
Now we’ll reinstate Work Choices!
“That was two PMs ago!”
Tony says,  aghast.  “No!     NO!     NO!”

Those were the days, weren’t they, Tony?Abbott Howard

NOTES:

Ad Astra of the Political Sword thinks that Abbott man is disintegrating   and he quotes plenty of evidence of that.   But for me the most significant sign of Abbott’s cracking has been the dramatic distancing of himself from his hero, John Howard.

On the 18th of August, Tony Abbott was promising to return Australia to the “golden age” of the Howard government under his “incoming Coalition government”.   Whatever one’s view of politics no one could doubt his commitment and sincerity as in a speech to the South Australian Liberals he talked about the close ties between the Coalition party he is leading in Opposition and the government he once served in as a Minister under John Howard.  Sixteen of his current shadow ministry had served in Howard’s cabinet until 2007.  They were experienced hands, ready to serve in government again, he vowed.  He and they had all done the job before.

“There won’t be questions about the judgment of an incoming Coalition government because an incoming Coalition government has shown good judgment in the past and that’s where there is going to be such a contrast between an incoming Coalition government and the government that we currently have.”

Mr Abbott once described himself as the political love child of John Howard and Bronwyn Bishop and has has often harked back to the golden years of the Howard era.  To hear him promise a return to them so fulsomelely and with such confidence came as no surprise.  What did surprise me was that within ten days he was so forthrightly denying the legacy of his mentor. There was no rationalising or attempt at softening his statement on 27th of August.   It was of the order of Peter denying his Lord.  Abbott was having to repudiate an article of faith.   It may not have been from a cock but there would have been crowing in Canberra when he said,

”Let’s face it, John Howard is two prime ministers ago…….John Howard is three Liberal leaders ago. That was then, this is now. There is no going back to the past.”

This represents an astonishing turnaround, an almost illogical volte-face that can perhaps only be explained by a psychological cracking of the kind described by Ad Astra’s theory of disintegration.   Ad Astra’s post records a week of  stressful interviews for Abbott which had begun with his extraordinarily hubristic speech about an Abbott Coalition government restoring the Howard golden years and was to end with that admission of defeat………………”there is no going back to the past!”  

COMMENTS:   

Alan Moir,     31/08/12,      Lovely piece, Patricia.

Truth Seeker,    31/08/12,    Patricia, another gem.

2gravel,     31/08/12,     Well done again Patricia, I really love the way you background where you get your inspiration for your pome’s.

Pappinbarra Fox,     01/09/12,    I believe that Mr Abbott would be correctly diagnosed as a sociopath despite his mates and people who know him at the surf club claiming him to be a “good bloke”. But isn’t this part of the pathology? To be a good bloke only in the company of people he feels comfortably superior to and therefore has nothing to fear about them while at the same time displaying all the tics, swagger and confrontation with people and ideas he fears and feels extremely insecure about.  Oh and a good pome too.

Mary,     07/08/12,      Hi patricia.   Saw your post. On pb.    How wonderful    I wondered if u got my return email ,   As the name is different than below   You. May of thought it spam

Patriciawa,   07/08/12,    Hi Mary!   I thought I had recorded and  replied to your last comment to me.   I’ve certainly seen this one.   I’ve had such a great response to my comments about the Community Cabinet, I have to find a way to incorporate them and all the encouraging remarks from PB and TPS bloggers into a post here.

PS To this comment.  I’ve just had the email I sent to you alerting you re your comment recorded above and your compliment at PB returned to me as invalid recipient.  Is there a problem with your new address as you’ve written it here?

Mary,     07/09/12,   That’s better.    I often think if. The pm visited, would make aquick batch of scones ,served with aprirot jam and cream get out. My wedegewood, linen surviettes, have afternoon tea fit for a special Lady.  But I’m betting the pm would grab a tea towel, and we would chat while washing and drying the wedgewood solving all problems together.  A big thankyou cuddle to end a perfect visit.   Patricia cherish the day.

Shani,      20/04/13, This is my first time visit at here and i am in fact happy to read all at single place.

Patriciawa,      21/04/13, Thanks, Shani. It’s great to have new friends to remind me to get stuck back into a more regular writing routine. I’ve had a couple of minor mishaps since mid 2012, broken limbs in separate incidents. But now I’m fully restored, and Abbott is still there, as appalling as ever but hasn’t yet disintegrated. Though I think Murdoch’s recent visit here may have been to make sure that he doesn’t. ALP looks like getting away with that NBN of theirs. Or will they? We’ll see on September 14th.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Tony Abbott Would Never Sell his Arse! Would he?

Posted on August 26, 2012 by patriciawa

 

The Bard himself might say that Abbott’s arse
Was a worthy subject for a sonnet.
Why then is it the butt of ribald farce
With so much media commentary on it?
It’s muscular and trim and very taut
From long exercise on surfboard and bike.
But his tongue has been looser than it ought
And been recorded by a hidden mike.
When challenged in the Chamber to his face,
With carbon tax promise he can’t deny,
He blusters,  is called ‘a national disgrace!’
And his other words,  why say they’re a lie? 
We know he wouldn’t sell his arse,  okay?
But, offered the chance to be PM, he’d give it any day.

(PS Another version came to mind 05/10/12 – unedited so far and unposted elsewhere.)

Who’d have thought it would come to pass
That Labor’s fortunes turned on Abbott’s arse?
Seems he said he’d be prepared to sell it!
Desperate words from a religious zealot.
I thought he’d already sold his soul
Desperately grasping for his life’s goal.
So this latest for him was no worse than a lie
He could later confess to, or even deny.
Or he could shrug it off as leftie spin.
Anyway is it really a mortal sin?
It’s leniently dealt with by Cardinal Pell
So there’s not much chance he’ll go to hell
Which really is a pity, you know, because
We’d rather that fate for him, than Oz.
What else has he done what infernal fires
He risks. Or strike him dumb! Anything! So long as he retires!

NOTES:   A lot has happened in Canberra since Tony Windsor blew his stack and held the nation spellbound while he told Tony Abbott some home truths about his hypocrisy over the the so called carbon tax lie.  That was less than two weeks ago and much that was written about what he said, what he meant and Tony Abbott’s response to him has already been obscured.   The comment Abbott made to Windsor about being willing to do anything but sell his arse to gain government has been the subject of many posts on blogsites, now superceded by other issues.   My immediate response to Miglo at Cafe Whispers  was that Abbott would never sell his arse,  but he’d probably give it!   Oddly no one took me up on that there because it seemed the political drama and debate had moved on.  That particular post is already archived.    Wanting to keep fresh for myself the impact of Tony Windsor’s speech I’m posting other responses to it here rather than writing my usual explanatory notes. Following my ‘sonnet’ are a ‘lullaby’ and a ‘ballad’ which I think do a pretty good job of enlarging on and explaining the context of the pome.

Talk Turkey,   over  at the Political Sword,   very quickly came up with this lullaby, a parody of  that well known carol, Away In A Manger.   It attracted lots of comment.

Away in the Chamber, no key to the Lodge
Poor dumb Tony Abbortt was trying to dodge,
But there Tony Windsor had him right in his sights,
And the things that he said had the creep dead to rights!

Tony Windsor didn’t hold back, his demeanour was grim,
As he vented on Tony Abbortt, he pointed straight at him:
An absolute disgrace he said, you make this place a farce,
And to get the top job you said you might even sell your arse!

The Government was laughing, It’s not true said Tone
But our dear Tony Windsor grinned and pointed to his phone. . ! . .
We adore you Tony Windsor, what a joy you have been,
And we hope you’re re-elected in 2013!

Lyn, our doyenne of internet linkers, then put us in touch with George Bludger who had produced this response to Tony Windsor’s straight talking.

Truth Seeker,  a talented new rhymester at TPS, has given us a chronicle of what happened on that historic day, after the suspension of standing orders! 

The Ballad of Abbottsarsegate.

With the winter break over and the parliament resumed
And the Houston report taken up,
And the “Right”.. claiming a victory, while the greens loudly fumed
Stating the country’s just been sold a pup
And the heat taken out of the Abbott’s pollution
The rubbish he’s stated as fact
By the report knocking holes in the Pacific solution
And an economy the western world’s backed
And being wedged in a hole… he resorts to the lies
That have served him so well in the past
So with bravado aplenty he summons the guys
To give our Prime minister a blast

And with nought else to jump on and ramp up the lies
He runs back to the old tried and true
With his eyes on the prize and his head full of flies
He dives headlong…. straight into the poo
Calling for an apology from our illustrious Prime Minister
For the damage her “Big Tax” has wrought
And for the freedom required to argue his case
A suspension of standing orders.. was sought
A tactic he’s used almost each sitting day
To control and divert the debate
For his policy vacuum and lack of ideas
Has found him seriously lacking of late

So the motion was outlined and seconded by Pyne
Who went off with his usual crap
But the deputy speaker pointed out the drawn line
And gave.. the bad poodle.. a slap
Then Combet stepped up to decry Abbotts spin
Saying “this policy,.. for the future.. is right.”
So the poodle jumped up… set to put the boot in
But the speaker was up to the fight
Then with the speakers OK Windsor joins in the fray
His intent, clearly not to sing carols
And his anger this day.. bubbled up… all the way
As he took aim and fired both barrels

“There’s been lots of discussion of history today
About a comment the Prime Minister said
But the truth is the Prime Minister didn’t win,… let me say
We got a hung parliament… instead.
As the Leader of the Opposition would know very well
The PM and her deputy too
That a carbon price or ETS was a part of the sell
Of the deal…..  or it wouldn’t go through
The leader of the opposition knows that very well
As he actually begged for the job
But conclusion was reached his integrity was breached
And only lies.. dribble out of his.. gob.”

“ ‘I’ll do anything, Tony, to get hold of this job,
the only thing I wouldn’t do.. is sell my arse.’
Was the only clear codicil he placed on his plea
But we knew that his honesty was sparse.”
Then the poodle jumped up….outrage etched on his face
With his dummy primed,…. ready to spit
But the speaker thought “Parliament, not Crufts, is the case”
So she told the bad poodle to “SIT”
Windsor said.. “He’d do anything  to garner a win
That he wasn’t asked.. shows the good judgment.. I’m living!”
“I am proud” Windsor said “to debate what we’ve done.”
“So support for this motion I’m giving”

“Doing something about climate change. I’m proud to support
And by history we all will be judged
Like this man who’d do anything to get the top job
With the truth that he is seen to have fudged.
And this opposition leader ..would’ve legislated thus
if he had just been given the nod
You’re a disgrace.. as you have the same targets as us
By a more.. expensive method.. you clod.”
So with the vote finally called and the “No’s” winning out
And the ‘question time’.. over and done
And the Abbott sent out with his.. spoiled brat.. pout
Understanding his days race was run

And from then on… his days got considerably worse
As his lies and his slogans abound
With his brain fart propensities.. still recorded in verse
To prove.. that his thinking’s.. not sound
And our Julia Gillard’s proved more than his match
Looking stronger and more confident each day
And to lose… the unlosable… election
Is the price that the fibberals will pay
For the Abbott man is vacuous… and policy free
And dishonesty… is his main part
Accentuated each time his mouth’s…running free
And his disconnected brain… begins to fart

So with credibility shot and popularity in decline
And a platform that no one can know
And our government stable.. and the economy fine
We’ll all sit back and enjoy the show
As the media.. dragged kicking and screaming.. join in
and with great expectation we wait
For the next thrilling instalment of the saga of spin
Known affectionately.. as Abbotts.. arsegate.

COMMENTS:

Catching up, 26/08/12, The Ballad of Abbottsarse Catches the moment perfectly. All are good.

Sue, 27/08/12, Just love them all. I wonder what it would take for Tony Windsor to out Abbott?

gravel, 27/08/12, Patricia This is just great, you have done yourself and the others a great service, well done.

foreverjanice 27/02/13, Fantastic, Patricia. I too wish Windsor and Oakeshott would reveal what they have recorded.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tony Still Wants to Axe That Tax!

Posted on August 5, 2012 by patriciawa

 

Cartoon by Lindsay Foyle

Thanks to Lindsay Foyle for the cartoon, http://newmatilda.com/

Things have changed since they passed the carbon tax,
But Tony Abbott says we must still face facts.
Don’t be fooled into calling it a ‘price.’
That’s Gillard pretending that it’s something nice.

A science of climate change philosophy?
Crap! The carbon tax will cause catastrophe!
He stands by every one of his predictions,
Though Combet called them deceits and fictions!’

The doom he foretold will come to Whyalla.
That town will prove a false Valhalla
To Labor dupes who stayed to prove him wrong.
Emerson will regret his silly song.

Look how we Aussies have been distracted
From how our landscape has been impacted
By recent heavy Chinese  investment
Which now needs scrutiny and assessment.

And coming in are credible reports
About the harm that tax has done our sports!
The world’s too hot? Ice caps no longer cold?
Who cares?   Oz has lost its will for winning gold!

Acknowledgements to Kudelka for his so apt Gold Tax cartoon!

COMMENTS:

Gravel,     05/07/12,   Well done again Patriciawa. I am pleased to see your pomes again on TPS, and this one seems to have some extra zip in it. (PS, finally contacted wordpress and got problem sorted, so can now comment again, I am thrilled).

Truth Seeker,     05/07/12,     The word prolific comes to mind.  Nice one.  Cheers.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Phoney Tony – the No No Man!

Posted on July 22, 2012 by patriciawa

Thanks to Alan Moir for this inspiration but Tony the phoney is no Popeye Man

Abbott Law of Sea-0001

Abbott’s no fighting man
Like Popeye the Sailor Man.
Him fight to the finish?
He hasn’t demolished
Even one ALP plan.

He might try to fool ya
He’s tougher than Julia,
But he aint on the square.
He’s biffed  ‘er and buffed ‘er
And tried to out rough ‘er
But never gets anywhere.

You know what the facts is –
It’s just Liberal taxes
Which hurt the working man.
He thinks he’ll win votes
By stopping the boats
And playing the big strong man.

Insult Indonesia?
He thinks that’ll please ya –
That’s all  part of his plan.
He says he’s no coward
And just like John Howard!
“Yeah! That’s the man wot I am!”

“If them admirals risk
Feeling the strength of my fisk,
It’s boff an’ it’s wham understand?
All of their scrutiny
I’ll treat as mutiny
When I run Downunderland!”

But don’t you believe him.
His ego deceives him.
Just like the Can-do man,
He’s not good for Australia.
Let’s make sure he’s a failure,
A loser – an also-ran.
Cos that’s the real Tony – the phoney!
The No No Man!

NOTES:   Acknowledgements to my friend, Talk Turkey, poet in residence over at the Political Sword,  for his his help with the title for this and his very constructive criticism of my first draft.    If you’re too young to know who Popeye is or too old to remember him clearly, or just need reminding how to sing the Popeye song go here for a real treat and help with understanding my pome!

Alan Moir is my favorite cartoonist and I found his depiction of Tony Abbott as Popeye as in my last pome irresistable as an illustration to my last pome.  But I did have reservations about comparing would-be tough man Tony Abbott with the loveable comic strip hero of legend.  I received a fair bit of feedback confirming my hunch too, particularly over at The Political Sword from Talk Turkey who gave generously of his time with helpful comments.  Then Alan Moir produced this latest depiction of Abbott burning the law of the sea in his pipe and gave me the opportunity to redeem myself with Popeye fans.

Today’s latest boat arrival with an apparent death already having occurred will give all parties an opportunity to show how real their grief was over the tragedy in June and if they have shifted ground at all.    Will we hear from Tony Abbott from overseas about this latest arrival with children on board who should have been turned around and sent back to Indonesia?   Will he decide at last to work with Angus Houston’s group in finding some compromise.   Or will he, as usual, just say, “No!”

</d

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

“I’ll Turn Back The Boats! I’ll Just Say N0!”

Posted on July 9, 2012 by patriciawa

port-moir-illo-600x400

Thanks Alan Moir for permission to reproduce this so apt Popeye the Sailorman cartoon.

Tony Abbott knows he has authority
To give commands, to turn the tide of history.
He can ignore advice, needn’t wait for votes.
Of course he can turn back those boats!

He has a sacred pledge or covenant
With God. He knows that government
Is rightly his….or soon will be. It must.
His blood oath on that just needs our trust.

Knowing himself to be pure of soul,
And with a clear mandate from Newspoll,
He demands again an immediate election.
Gillard must obey, with appropriate genuflection.

Yes! Once Liberals are in ascendance,
Labor, the Greens and Independents
Must finally obey his orders
As he secures Australian borders.

Then his law enacted will be enough
To show the world how stern’s the stuff
Of Aussie sailors.  They will obey!
Who cares what  daft old admirals have to say?

As for rulers in any neighbouring land.
They were shown exactly where they stand
By John Howard a few short years ago.
Ask Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono!

In power he’ll accept no opposition,
Least of all from within the Coalition.
High Court?  International Law of the Sea?
He laughs.  “There’s just one law around here!  That’s me!”

NOTES:     My writing of notes to accompany the first version of this pome on 27/06/12 was interrupted by a week’s unexpected stay in hospital!   I delayed my early evening walk with Tacker to watch the final vote on the Oakeshott Bill in the House of Reps.  So the late afternoon light in WA was rather dimmer than usual, and yes I was all stirred up by the genuine emotion of many MPs and angered by the filibustering shallow speeches of Tony Abbott’s people as Julie Bishop and others worked on the unhappy and  conflicted Mal Washer.   That may have contributed to my being knocked down on a crosswalk bv a driver who was focussed solely on traffic to their right before suddenly turning left.    Whatever the cause I am now back home with a reconstructed knee in a very uncomfortable splint, but it’s not life threatening.    Tacker is well.  Family and friends have rallied round.   And I’ve had all you lovely readers sending messages of support!  Also today the driver’s insurance agent told me that they were meeting all my post-operative expenses like physio and specialist fees and to send him all the bills.

So my own news is good.  Which is sadly not the case for asylum seekers.  With nothing to do but lie still in bed for almost ten days I have been absorbing almost every facet of the debate about boat people arriving here in Australia.  I have seen many replays of speeches and watched the faces of dozens of politicians as they met the press for interviews and commentary.   If anyone needs an objective and clear account of the boat people’s story as it has developed here since John Howard first saw what a political gold mine it could provide after the largely bi-partisan policies of the late 20thC they should go to the Political Sword website.   There Ad Astra applies facts and logic to the asylum seeker issue.

All I have the energy to do here is to find some way to express my outrage about the ruthlessness of one man who I think was primarily responsible for Australia’s failure to find some solution to the impasse around this tragic situation last week.  Yes, Labor has made mistakes and its internal factional differences have played their part, but this time they were united and prepared to follow the party line and Julia Gillard in supporting Rob Oakeshott’s compromise bill.   Yes, the Greens are naively idealistic to the point of stupidity, but Sarah Hansen-Young’s adolescent histrionics would have been irrelevant had the Coalition seen reason as the Liberal Party once did under Malcolm Fraser’s leadership.

Their leader now, however, is Tony Abbott, a man who will not see reason.  His sole raison d’être is to gain political power.  As I watched him hour after hour speechifying in front of cameras and before audiences, rationalising and lying his way out of every objection that was put to his policy of destructive negativity, I was astounded that so many in the the media accepted his hypocrisy, prevarications and arrogance as somehow an acceptable feature of the political game.  His outrageous refusal to take advice from officials and senior bureaucrats,  to consider how High Court rulings or even international law might impact on his policy of turning back boats to Indonesia and off-shore processing in Nauru has had no real media scrutiny from reporters or serious criticism in newspaper editorials.

Cartoonists like Alan Moir have done their bit and some few columnists like Mike Carlton, but it has been left to the fifth estate to do what in the past was the job of main stream media.   Writers like Ad Astra at the Political Sword and the author of Politically Homeless, Andew Elder,  among many others really do appraise the performance of politicians and in the case of Tony Abbott question his fitness to lead the country.   Most of my reading in the past ten days was of commentary like theirs on the web.  I won’t try to add to the volume of that right now, though at a later date when I have more energy I must add the many links I’ve promised myself to note here when I am less tired.   For now,  I’ve run out of puff for writing.  There’s a limit to how much even anger can overcome fatigue in an old, and somewhat traumatised body

PS   I watched Malcolm Turnbull on Q&A tonight and thought how diminished he is, not just by his willingness to have a man such as Tony Abbott as his leader.  It’s also his readiness to mouth the same immoral platitudes, lies and sheer stupidity as I’ve parodied above in my pome.  On second thoughts, that’s no parody!  Every line is true!

COMMENTS

Sue,    09/07/12,  My goodness what would some old admirals know about safety at sea!!!!   THEY WILL OBEY.    Maybe the navy should put its first female Admiral, Robyn Walker, as spokesperson. They could enjoy the laugh as Abbott sh!ts himself having to face another female authority figure.

Patriciawa,    09/07/12,    What a good idea!  That would make for a  couple of fun lines above.   I’ll sleep on it.

Sue,    09/07/12,    patriciawa,   i did find it scary that when discussing naval duties, Abbott said ” I’m no Hornblower”. I hope he explains to the navy that he does realise Hornblower is a fictional Royal navy officer.

Pip,    09/07/12,   Well done Patricia.    I particularly liked this verse,

Knowing himself to be pure of soul,
And with a clear mandate from Newspoll,
He demands again an immediate election.
Gillard must obey, with appropriate genuflection.

Abbott’s soul is nowhere near as pure as Bernie Banton’s but Newspoll have done a great job of air-brushing that information from news.con’s pages

That much wanted “immediate election” still hasn’t happened after almost two years which has literally caused Abbott’s brain to fry….

As for the Prime Minister ever genuflecting before Tony Abbott….. not before hell freezes over. :

Then this,
As for rulers in any neighbouring land.
They were shown exactly where they stand
By John Howard a few short years ago.
Ask Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono!

Unfortunately for Abbott he was shown exactly where he stands by the Indonesian government today.   Abbott-SBY didn’t discuss boats:Indon govt

The coalition’s plan to turn back asylum-seeker boats was not discussed with Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during recent talks, a spokesman for the Indonesian president says.

OPPOSITION Leader Tony Abbott repeatedly has refused to say if the plan was mentioned to Dr Yudhoyono during their meeting in Darwin last week.

Teuku Faizasyah, the president’s spokesman for foreign issues, said Mr Abbott did not mention asylum-seeker boats.

“The president’s meeting with Tony Abbott in Darwin last week was just a casual meeting,” he told AAP.

“That issue was untouched between the two.”

It was not talked about because the Liberal leader was not in charge of government policy and decisions, but the Indonesian government was discussing the issue with Prime Minister Julia Gillard,  Mr Faizasyah said.

Ad Astra,   10/07/12,     Patriciawa   I was delighted to read of your steady recovery.  I hope you will soon be back to full strength.  You have lost none of your poetic skills.  Your pome is delightful, the cartoon is apt, and your words are wise.  Thank you for your kind words about TPS and your link to the current piece.

Talk Turkey,   10/07/12,    ….The last line this time is perfect. Well you know what Louis XIV said, “l’etat, c’est moi!” and you know what happened to him!

paul walter,     11/07/12m   Patricia WA retains her enthusiasm for construction of verse and the sharing of the burgeoning fruits of her endeavours with posters here, (at TPS) as in the past at other sites.  And this time she is very, very accurate in the messaging.
Methinks the Grahame Morris types are already well and truly about trying to light fires, as the election draws closer, then running off to hide while others cop the consequence, as per usual.   Mind you, the ALP does make its own life difficult for itself and easy for its enemies some times, doesn’t it?   Am not sure the Greens are playing it much smarter, either.

cupidstunt, 03/03/13, PatriciaWA fellow sandgroper very eloquent and truthful poem.

Victoria, 03/03/13, Another brilliant poem, Patriciawa.

Fed up,      25/07/13,     yes, Patricia, nothing changes when it comes to this man. That is what is so frightening., No matter how much things change around him, he is still rooted back in the past, distant past.     Turn back the boats, he cannot get past.   Sadly he seems to be saying, stop the boats, stop the people.    We will only allow any here on TPV;s. All will be expected to return home. Well,that must be what it is about, if he is saying they need TPV s when Labor is saying no boat person will be allowed in.   Do not need them for those that attempt to come by boats, as they will never arrived. Must be for all the others that come. Even there Abbott is lowering the numbers by 7000, while Labor will increase the numbers by the same amount.   I get it, that Morrison and Abbott believe that none should come.      Why we have this announcement, before the Bali Group meeting on August 20, is beyond me. It can only be, he is sending a message to Indonesia, he will be doing as he likes, bugger any plans that others have in the region. Bugger any chance of a regional solution.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment